Couple draw on family history of weaving to launch new business

A businessman from Pendle, who has weaving in his blood, is drawing on his family history as he launches his new company.

Fabric and Fent is a new fabric warehouse set up by Edward Dyson and his wife Georgia in the market town of Great Harwood.

Edward was born into the textile industry in the 1960’s in Colne. and his grandparents were William Reed of W M Reeds of Spring Bank Mills Nelson and Edward Dyson of Edward Dyson and Sons Ltd of Riverside Mills Nelson.

They were mill owners for many years in the heyday of cotton production in the valley.

Edward worked in his father’s textile merchanting business until 1992 when he left and started to manufacture pet accessories. Still using textile connections,he manufactured pet bedding and clothing under the Chilli Dog brand.

When he married Georgia, she joined the business and with all the fabric they were stocking decided to start selling online 18 months ago.

Edward said: "A fabric shop was the next step and the reaction from the locals in Great Harwood has been fantastic.

"Great Harwood had its own thriving textile industrial community in the boom years and many remember that period."

Based just off Queen Street on Barnmeadow Lane the shop has 1200 square foot of fabrics covering curtaining, craft, upholstery and dress.

With over 800 positive feedbacks on service, quality and communication the couple now aim to bring this service to their new customers. The benefit of having this local fabric store is that the fabrics can be seen, touched and the repeat of the design can be viewed on a four-metre cutting table.

It is sometimes difficult to judge all those aspects online.

The Dyson's; business is catering to the latest trend of people wanting to put their own stamp on a home, party, wedding or up cycling project.

It is both rewarding and therapeutic to create or upcycle an old piece of furniture that then has another lifetime of use. Shows like Escape to the Chateau on Channel 4 show what can be done on a budget to create your own designer look.

You can view a You Tube video in the morning and in the afternoon be reupholstering your old chair.

The business stocks many established brands such as Clarke and Clarke, Prestigious, Harlequin, Ashley Wilde and Romo in

printed, colour woven and knitted fabrics in all weights.

Edward said: "One of our good friends took on the task to make costumes for a school play a few years ago and was having difficulty in finding a green cotton to make up the costumes for play Robin of Sherwood.

"She called Georgia and we went through our stocks and found suitable fabrics for the project. The costumes and the play were a joy to watch and picking out our fabrics was good fun too."